The Union Iron Works was a big part of the Oakland Inner Harbor expansion project which took place during the early part of the 1900s. Union Iron Works employed 4,000 workers, and the projections were that the number would double by completion of the shipbuilding plant. When done the goal was for Oakland, California to be the home of the "largest and finest shipbuilding plant in the United States." This was but one part of Oakland's plan, beginning in 1914, to add 100s of new or to greatly enlarge various industrial establishments, thereby dramatically employment, the overall population, increase demand for real estate, and above all else, increase revenue.